Sunday, February 21, 2010

Banquet & Catering: Best of Butler Service!

Banquet & Catering has come and gone, but their is plenty to review.  This is how it went down: Our class was broken into four teams of four and each team was limited to 2 proteins that had to be stretched over 3-days of service.  During these 3 days, the teams had to provide a banquet service with butler service, hors d'oeuvres buffet service, and then a day with both and an action station to boot.  Let's check out some of the highlights:
The key to butler service is providing one-bite wonders, aka finger foods. What do you do when you are given an entire pork saddle to play with? Pull off the tenderloin and pound out a tasty pork cutlets the size of silver dollars. Here we have a Mini-Schnitzel Sandwich with Bacon Aioli, House-made Sausage Gravy, Fried Sage, and Buttermilk Biscuit.
What do you do with a 5 pound can of lump crab meat? Make a filling for a Crab-stuffed Ravioli with Lemon-Chive Beurre Blanc, Wilted Spinach, and Micro-Green Salad.
 With all that crab meat to serve, out came a Southern Crab Hash on Toasted Brioche with Bacon Aioli, and Fried Quail Egg.
Don't forget that you always have to have some vegetarian options for those non-meat eaters. How cool is Tomato Soup and Fried Mornay Nibblets.
Seafood is probably the most challenging protein to keep fresh on a buffet. Therefore, you have to embrace its freshness and its versatility.  Here is a Mussel Shooter with Apple Dashi, Pickled Daikon, and Onion Froth accompanied with a Fried Littleneck Clam with Potato Puree and Cucumber Marmalade.
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The Hors d'oeuvres Buffet presentation is next! 

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